A New Brunswick judge has granted a request from the Roman Catholic diocese of Bathurst to seal any details surrounding financial awards given out as the church settles sexual abuse complaints.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Frederick Ferguson approved the request on Monday morning in Bathurst.
Bishop Valéry Vienneau said outside the court he was satisfied with the judge's decision. He said it is "absolutely necessary" for the church to be able to proceed in confidentiality in order to protect those people involved.
Ferguson is expected to rule in the afternoon on whether the diocese can take money from a trust fund used to help educate people entering the priesthood.
Rev. Wesley Wade released a statement on Nov. 2 indicating the Catholic diocese would offer an apology and financial compensation to the 35 individuals who came forward during a conciliation process led by Michel Bastarache, a retired Supreme Court of Canada justice
Bastarache handed in a report on Nov. 1 that identified 35 people who deserve compensation for being sexually assaulted by church members in the past.
Bastarache was hired by the diocese after Levi Noel, an 84-year-old former priest, was convicted of 22 sex-related offences and Charles Picot, a former priest who had worked in Dalhousie, was charged with indecent assault. Noel's offences took place between 1959 and 1981.
The church asked Bastarache to investigate any allegations of sexual assault.
The retired justice would not say in an interview in October how many clergy have been named by victims during his meetings, but he said some have died.
As well, Bastarache said some of the victims named priests who are not in the Bathurst diocese and it will be up to church leaders to contact the dioceses affected by those allegations to see if they would pay the compensation Bastarache is recommending.
The trust funds contain money intended to cover the cost of training clergy.
But the diocese has indicated the amount in the trust fund surpasses the amount needed for its intended use and some of the money should be used to compensate the victims.
Nine of the 45 people who came forward to meet Bastarache have declined to be a part of the conciliation process led by the retired justice.
Those victims are opting to take the church to court instead.
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